The invention relates to a locking device, and more particularly, to a vehicle anti-theft device including a gear shifter locking device for enclosing the handle of the vehicle gear shifter therein to prevent the usual shifting of the gear shifter, and a steering wheel locking device to prevent or limit the usual turning of the vehicle steering wheel, so that an unauthorized person is prevented from operating the vehicle.
Vehicle anti-theft devices including a gear shifter locking device are well known in the prior art. These prior art gear shifter locking devices enclose the handle of the gear shifted therein so that the release button on the handle cannot be activated to shift the gear shifter for the operation of the vehicle. However, many of the prior art gear shifter locking devices are not reliable, are too expensive, and/or are constructed in such a manner that they are difficult to mount in a proper manner by the user thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,710,606 discloses a gear shifter locking device including a one piece cylindrical member which fits over the handle of the gear shifter, and is locked thereon by a conventional padlock. U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,795 discloses a gear shifter locking device including a housing which fits over the handle of the gear shifter, the housing being provided with a push-button key-operated lock having a pin thereon which engages a bolt to lock the housing on the handle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,020,390 discloses a gear shifter locking device having a two part housing which encloses the handle of the gear shifter therein, one housing part being provided with a push-button key-operated lock thereon having a pin which engages in one of a series of holes provided in a block secured on the other housing part to lock the two housing parts together on the handle.
Furthermore, steering wheel locking devices are also well known in the prior art. One such steering wheel locking device, which is most popular and has been advertised on television, includes two bars which are locked together, each bar including a hook portion for hooking on opposite sides of the steering wheel, one of the bars being made substantially longer so that when the steering wheel locking device is locked onto the steering wheel, the longer bar extends a substantial distance beyond the steering wheel to limit the turning ability of the steering wheel to thus prevent proper operation of the vehicle by an unauthorized person.
Accordingly, there is presently a need for a reliable, reasonably priced gear shifter locking device that can be easily and quickly mounted on the handle of a vehicle gear shifter to prevent the operation thereof by an unauthorized person. Furthermore, there is also a need for a steering wheel locking device which can be easily and quickly attached to the steering wheel, and which cooperates with the gear shifter locking device to prevent an unauthorized person from operating the vehicle.